Truck maker Scania ended the production of conventional trucks and tractors in 2005, offering them simply wasn’t economically viable any longer. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have one, as some independent companies have specialized in converting factory cabovers into conventionals to serve that smaller-than-niche market for heavy Scania vehicles.
One of those specialists is the Vlastuin company from the Netherlands, the other day I spotted one of their (re)creations nearby my place.
The fabrication process, described in short: take a chassis with a long wheelbase, move the entire cab structure backwards, and add a hood at the front that follows the lines of the factory (former) tilt cab perfectly. Technically, everything stays the same.
The letter T stands for ‘Torpedo’, a conventional straight truck or tractor unit. The Swedish truck manufacturer also designated their last generations of factory conventionals as such, a Scania T-series meant the vehicle came with a nose.
Before and after the makeover. The original, 2017 S-series cabover tractor from Sweden was imported into the Netherlands in 2023. Replacing the side skirts is part of the conversion job, note that the tag axle also got dual wheels (courtesy of VSB Groep Druten).
An inside look into Vlastuin’s workshop, where the crew is working on their Scania Next Gen conventional conversion number 75. The cabover’s complete front bumper unit, with steps and all, stays in place and remains unaltered (courtesy of BIGtruck online magazine).
The one I caught is number 88, built for the local VSB Groep/Group. It kept the cabover’s Sweden-themed sun visor, but those delirious cab graphics -quite customary on Scandinavian rigs- had to go. You never see them on a Dutch truck or tractor, and VSB’s Scania is no exception to the rule.
The Vlastuin company posted a complete photo gallery of Next Gen (as in current gen) Scania conventionals on their website. The series was introduced in the summer of 2017, so far number 112 is at the top. A smaller-than-niche market, indeed. But it exists!
Wow were the Swedes copying the idiotic graphics so typical of US RVs? So not Scandinavian! The T-series are v cool, wish we’d see some of them here, though the Scania V8 was US inspired, oui?
Robert Bray’s Mack-Scania V8 CC article:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/engines/the-legendary-mack-v8-diesel-engine-1962-2003-big-power-with-a-distinctive-sound-and-its-scania-v8-offspring-is-still-going-strong/
The conversion does hang together, and is not that different from some factory conventionals that simply add a hood to a cabover design. For example the Club of Four cab on Renault and Mack got this treatment (and the Mack shows the cutout for the Renault version’s set back axle. You can also see this on Freightliner FL which is clearly a Mercedes LK cab and some versions even have blanked off wheel cutouts. The later versions of the White Road Boss also used the Road Xpeditor cabover and this ultimately led to the Integral Sleeper, and the modern North American Volvo line
To me, Vlastuin’s NG (Next Gen) square lined conversions look like a natural evolution of Scania’s last factory conventionals. The previous generation of Scanias was more rounded than the current models. Thus, the nose was more rounded too (courtesy picture below of A&M Commercials Ltd, featuring a T164 V8).
That’s impressive – I like the look post-conversion.
That looks quite expensive to do. What is the justification for all that work?
Owning something really special, the pride and joy X factor. Say like driving a US V8 pickup in Europe (another commercial vehicle niche market here). There is no pure financial justification, which also applies to owning a sports car or a classic car (me included).